Sometimes the best things are the simple things

We had a really great weekend. There was nothing special about it - it was just a good weekend.

On Friday night, we ate at home. We made our favorite pizza - a Hawaiian with Canadian bacon and pineapple. Then, we took our dogs for a walk. After the walk, we came home and watched the movie "21" about counting cards at Blackjack. It was a really good and interesting moving.

On Saturday, Bill and I ran our respective longest runs of the season. Bill went 16 miles with his group. I moved up to a faster pace group. They nearly kicked my butt, but I did manage to go the 14 miles I was scheduled to run. We were pleased to find our pups did well and did not destroy anything when we returned home. It was a longest mark for them, too. It was about 5 hours that they were alone. I think they were very happy to reunite in the backyard. After we all ate breakfast, we relaxed around the house until it was time to go to class. It was Misty and Lily's first training class. Both did well, and we have high hopes for each. For dinner, we made a pasta with fresh veggies and chicken. We saw "The Bucket List" - another good movie.

On Sunday, we had our day of rest. Bill did go for a bike ride, while I decided to finish a great book I was reading (Eye of the Beholder by David Ellis - very good). We relaxed around the house with our pups, then grilled steaks for dinner. We watched "The Other Boleyn Girl".

It was not a particularly spectacular weekend. We really stayed around the house most of the time. We did relax, and we did spend time together as a family. I think that is what made it such a great weekend.

Another Lost

This morning, we received a beautiful note from our neighbors informing us that their dog, Barley, passed away yesterday.

Barley was the sweetest girl. She always had a tail wag for you if she saw you in the yard, no matter how bad she felt. She may have been stiff and sore, but she would get up and wag her tail until you came to her.

I know our friends are hurting. Barley was 14 years old, and they had her since she was a puppy. The dog has been a part of their lives since before they were married.

My only solace is that Barley is not in pain anymore. She is running free and happy with Sammy now. I bet they are chasing each other and enjoying the wonderful treats in Heaven.

There is a wonderful poem about losing pets. It has made me feel better, but it also makes me cry. If you have never seen it, please read The Rainbow Bridge.

Our Sweet Nephew Michael

I wish we could have known him. He was gone too soon.

Rest in Peace, Angel Michael.

Reason #128 Why I love my Husband

This past Sunday, Bill participated in the Triangle Triathlon. It was his second tri event, but this one was different from the first. Instead of a pool swim, this swim took place in an open lake. With all the the problems we have been having lately, Bill wasn't really able to train for the race. Sure, he had been biking and running, but he was only able to go to the pool once.

Bill headed into the lake with his group with a big smile on his face. When I saw him get out of the lake, I was nervous. I had never seen him look so tired or defeated. The swim took more out of him than he imagined. I was afraid he would not be able to finish the race.

By the time I moved to the transition area, Bill was already heading out on the bike. I watched him come in, and saw him leave for the run. My guy finished the race in under 2 hours (did I mention that he ran 12 miles the day before the race) and he had a huge smile on his face.

Bill finished what he set out to do. He never gave up, he never gave in. When he finished, he was smiling because he achieved his goal. It is perseverance and strength of character. I was and am very proud of him. And that is reason #128.

So much for best behavior

Well, our dogs seem to be settling in the house. Last night, they were calm and relaxed. We thought that we adopted two chilled out little doggies. Tonight is a whole other ball game.

Little Lily is an instigator. She loved to pounce on Misty. They will go at it and wrestle each other like crazy. They are good about it. They don't really run, but just jump on each other. They have done that several times tonight. We introduced them to their new back yard, and they went at it. They were running and wrestling all over the place. The wrestling continued inside, then a nap, and then more wrestling. We thought they were burnt out, but they started up again. Poor Bill is exhausted, so he and Lily are in the master bedroom. Misty is here with me as I type. We hope breaking them up will allow them to relax a bit. I don't need much sleep, but I sure hope I don't wake up to wrestling at 3 am.

And Then There Were Four

So much has changed in the 5 days since my last post.

When I last wrote, I was still devastated by the loss of Sammy. Things have gotten better. Sammy came home last Thursday. We placed her ashes in her room, on the bed she loved. It seemed that everything cam full circle. Bill and I cried as we sat on the bed with her, but we slept through the night that night. We have been sleeping well ever since. Now, we can remember Sammy with good memories and no more tears.

The house has been so empty, that we decided we wanted to adopt another dog. We looked on line at the local animal shelter and saw many great dogs. We tossed around the idea, but still wondered if it was too soon and if we were cheapening Samantha's memory. We decided to visit the shelter on Monday.

I am happy to report that our visit to the SPCA of Wake County was a wonderful success. The facility was wonderful, and so were the volunteers. We had great dealings with the people in the kennels and the adoption counselors. We just didn't know if we should move forward.

I am happy to report that we now have 2 dogs living under our roof with us. Misty is a 2 year old German Shepard mix, and Lily is a 9 month old lab mix. The girls arrived today, and Bill and I have been amazed at how wonderful they have been so far. They have adjusted to their forever home very well. We will all sleep well tonight.

Life Without

Each little thing seems to set us off. You don't know how much someone means to you until they are gone. Samantha was a part of our home.

Bill put away her table that held her water and food bowls. The corner of the kitchen seems so empty. Her bed has been put away. There is a dirty ring around the place it used to be.

Bill and I went out with friends last night. It was good to get away from home and go to our bar. It felt normal. Our friends are so good to us - they really helped us feel better. Even the folks at my job have been supportive. They sent us a beautiful floral arrangement in sympathy.

This morning, I could not get up to run. I am so tired. I am weary. I feel so empty inside - like I have nothing else to give.

Here is something my good friend Devi wrote. I really like her comments.

I'm so sorry to hear the sad news...our pets have such an embedded place in our lives that it takes a long time to stop feeling like there is a hole in our hearts and in our homes when they go. I am glad that she was so loved and that she passed peacefully during the night...she had the life and death we would all want. Love always, Devi

Missing Our Girl

As you can imagine, things have been hard at out house. The shock of losing our Sammy has not warn off. Bill and I find ourselves in tears often, and neither of us slept last night. We miss her so much.

Sammy may have been a dog, but she was one-third of our family. Our family motto was always "You, me and the pooch," and now one of the main players is gone.

I know what it is to be heartbroken now.

Our Beloved Samantha

This morning, we woke to find that our beloved dog, Samantha, had passed away in her sleep. This loss was totally unexpected. She seemed fine yesterday; she was happy. As you can imagine, with all of the bad things that have been happening in our family lately, this loss was a particularly hard blow. We had no warning, there was no idication that this was coming. We loved our dog so much -she was our baby. Our only solace is that we know she is in a good place and that she knew how much we loved her.

Our friends and family have been wonderful. We have received many, many messages and condolences today. It seems that Sammy was loved by many people, not just us.

We will miss her very much - the sound of her collar jingling, the nose prints on the windows, the tons of fur shedded all over the house.

We just hope that Samantha, Michael, and my mom are having a nice time in heaven together.

Tough Stuff

Yesterday was my nephew Michael's memorial service. I don't know what I was expecting, but as soon as I saw the alter with his things and the flowers, I completely lost it. I pretty much cried through the first half of the ceremony. It is strange how much you can miss someone you never even knew. There is one really good picture of him with his eyes open, looking right at the camera. That is the picture they used for the service and on the program. I see that picture, and it makes me think of what could have been. I guess someone else had other plans.

The nice thing was that there was probably about 150 people at the service. That out pouring of love and support meant a lot to me, so I know it really touched Sally and Robert. It was amazing to see everyone come together for one little boy. If anything, it makes a difficult time a little easier to bear.

Quick Update on Some Bad Times

Things have not been good recently for the Morrison Family.

1. Bill was laid off. He knew there was going to be layoffs, but was completely surprised that he was one of them. He did not see it coming, and it has been very hurtful.

2. I blogged about my nephew being born on June 18. Now, I must share the news of his passing. Michael passed away on June 29. His lungs just could not keep up. It is very sad for the whole family. I will be boarding a flight to Orlando tonight. The funeral is on Saturday.

3. I have this nagging cough that will not go away. It has twice woken me in the middle of the night this week. With all that is going on, sleep deprivation is something I don't need.

4. Work is still really busy. I have been working late most of the week. The company is doing well, so I guess I should be happy for that.

5. Sammy continues to gnaw on her legs. We went to the vet again this morning as she bit herself bloody last night. An hour wait for a walk-in appointment. I wish I knew why she did it.

Well, if you have any good luck to pass on, please send it our way. We need something positive to happen for a change.

Happy 4th of July.